The art is replete with structures formed of flexible polymeric material that may be attached to a container to provide a bail or hanger for the container. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,000,527; 3,045,070; 3,119,541; 3,220,591; 3,594,891; 3,623,633; 3,635,367; 3,653,610; 3,717,277; 3,744,658; 3,807,679; 4,022,416 provide typical examples.
Generally such prior art structures can provide some advantages over more conventional metal bail or hanger structures, which advantages may include ease of application, ease of labeling for the container to which they are attached, reduction or elimination of corrosion during storage, reduction or denting and scuffing of labels on containers packed together, and ease of color coding.
Many of such prior art structures, however, include circular molded portions adapted to encircle a container which are expensive and typically require close tolerances or are heat shrinkable to ensure that they will securely engage a container on which they are to be used. Also, many require specially shaped containers to ensure secure engagement between the container and assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,633 describes a bail structure which is an elongate strip of flexible material having end anchor portions adapted to be adhered circumferentially around the periphery of a container ajacent one of its ends, and a central handle portion adapted to extend between generally opposite locations on the periphery of the container when the anchors are adhered to the container. The handle portion can then be moved from a normal storage position extending circumferentially around the periphery of the container in alignment with its end portions, to a use position extending at right angles to its end portions and extending across the end of the container, at which use position the central portion may be used to carry or suspend the container. While this elongate strip can be cut from sheet material and need not be molded or made to close tolerances, and can be applied without any substantial problems relating to the shape or tolerances of the container end, folds formed in the strip between its handle and anchor portions when its handle portion is moved to its use position tend to peel the adhesive attaching the anchor portions away from the container as tension is applied to the handle portion by supporting the weight of the container or otherwise, so that a special high shear adhesive is specified to restrict such peeling.